My CEO Boss Is A Masked Internet Sensation-Chapter 183: The Only Man She Could Trust

(Arata)

It turned out to be the most torturous night of my life but I refused to cry anymore. Not for a person who wouldn’t love me back; maybe he was incapable of loving someone, and I mistook his deception as something deep he felt for me.

Men are renowned for faking their feelings to get what they want and that’s how Karsten operated. It was my fault that I took it to a whole new level.

To be petty I decided to reach out to Azul but my hands shook. Not when I was this vulnerable, I had to stand on my feet without a man’s help.

For the time being, I decided to be on my own. Somehow I crawled into bed. Caysir called asking me if I was ready to go but I refused.

"I will go tomorrow, Caysir. Will let you know when ready." I ended the call after that and tossed the phone aside.

Had the bed been lined with thorns? My body ached as I got a few hours of extremely disturbed sleep. Every time I woke up, I would be panting or covered in my own sweat.

When I woke up like that for the fifth time, I gave up on sleeping and took a warm bath with my favourite scented oils. Freshened, I did practice some self-defence techniques to keep my mind occupied and to prepare myself for any future disasters.

Early in the morning, my phone rang and something told me it was Baba. Not some stalker, not another man looking to break my heart but the one man I could always trust blindly to have my best interest at heart.

Picking up the phone, I saw his name flashing on my screen, and for the first time since all the hell had broken loose, a wounded smile crept up on my lips. Tears instantly settled in my eyes but I didn’t want to cry on call with him.

I answered the call and softly said, "Baba..."

"Hey! Arata Chan, how is my beautiful girl? I just wanted to hear your voice the first thing in the morning," he spoke in his usual sweet voice and I hoped he wouldn’t pick up the sad notes in mine.

"I am good. How are you, Mom and Grandma?"

"We are well, your Mom is with Huria. You know she fell down the stairs but has been discharged from the hospital."

"Yes, I will call her today. I hope nothing serious." The thought of someone close to me getting hurt always devastated me. I made a mental note to call her later.

"No, she has been lucky. I just returned from their place," Baba informed me and I relaxed.

"That’s good news."

"So, I saw your pictures. Zaylen showed me. You looked stunning Arata. I am so proud of you."

Tears slipped out of my eyes. The genuine love he held for me couldn’t be compared. At times I forgot that the world hardly made men like my Baba.

In my naivety, I trusted men too easily, but never again. Men were done hurting me.

"...Thank you! Baba...feels special when praise comes from you," I said heavily, trying to hide the sadness seeping into my voice.

"Arata? What’s wrong dear?" He instantly caught the tremble in my voice.

"Nothing, nothing. I just missed you guys," I quickly said, not wanting him to panic.

"We will visit you soon, Arata. I promise. Please, don’t be sad." The calmness of his voice soothed my heart and I just closed my eyes, letting his love be wrapped around me, comforting me.

"It’s alright, Baba. I understand how busy you are and with Grandma needing constant care as well," I answered calmly so he wouldn’t think something was wrong at my end.

"You have always been so understanding, Arata. We love you."

"I love you guys too." More silent tears flowed down my cheeks, which I wiped with the back of my hand. My heart drowned with the emotional turmoil in my chest.

"So I saw the articles too. It seemed like the Winter Gala of the Arsten Empire was a hit, but something confused me..." Baba paused and I understood what it was. "It said Karsten’s girlfriend personally took the ramp. Is there something we need to know?" He was trying to ask this casually but I knew he was probing me.

Of course! The media was going to hype up this particular piece of news. By that time, everyone knew of the relationship between us, as fake as it was.

The topic had become so sensitive to me.

"Baba, you know how the marketing teams are. These are all strategies to keep the audience interested. Since I am his secretary, such assumptions are always made, and the media is quick to jump on such gossip. It’s nothing but a clear tactic because I was the showstopper," I said heavily, trying not to relive the torturous memories of yesterday but they came rushing back like a hot spray of water on my face.

"Hmm. Arata just be careful not to get caught in any scandal or become the target of these journalists. They are brutal and won’t care for your privacy," Baba warned and I knew he wasn’t really convinced. Parental intuition was real when it came to him.

"Don’t worry, Baba. I got this," I assured him and thought about what his reaction would be if he knew the allegations Andy had made against Karsten. He would be livid and Karsten could get in so much trouble.

Baba would never take it lightly, especially when it concerned me.

My heart was so conflicted, I didn’t even know whom to trust anymore except this man talking to me on the phone.

"I will always worry for you, my Moonshine. Just remember I am simply a call away if you need me in any capacity," he lovingly said, making me lean against the bed frame and sigh with phone glued to my ear.

"I know, Baba. I will always call you."

"Call your Mom and speak to Aunt Huria too. I love you to the Milky Way and back. Take care."

"Love you too, Baba. Take care too." The call ended and I just sat there trying to collect myself.

Today there was no office but the thought of returning to that place tomorrow made me uneasy.

My phone began to chime again with messages. Everyone seemed to be waking up and sending me screenshots of what the big sharks of the media agency had written related to the Winter Gala.

I opened the first article and this headline welcomed me.

"From Angel City to Marica City, Arata Zyair stunned the audience as the ultimate showstopper."

Another one wrote.

"Arata Zyair accomplished what no other woman could. She not only won the Winter Gala but she conquered Karsten’s Chevalier’s heart too."

The words fell like a strike of lightning on my heart as my eyes travelled to a picture of us together, walking the ramp, smiling at the audience.

Shutting my phone I hurled it away and slipped under my quilt, this was not my day, at least not the morning and I just wanted to sleep and forget this nightmare.